Hi folks,
I'm a long time two wheel rider and now I want to try out three. I have what I think to be some basic questions and could use some help and advice. I presently own an '04 HD Lowrider.Here are the questions;
1.What would be a good choice in sidecars for this bike?
2.Is there a sidecar that you can remove and install easily?
3.Will this bike need to have fork work to keep from wobbling?
4.I live near Frederick, Md. Is there trustworthy dealer or installer anywhere near?
5.Should one upgrade to disc brakes if available?
Thanks in advance. Any advice would be appreciated.
The USCA does have a MD State Rep. I'm not sure how far he is from you but if you are looking for local info try him.
Robert L. Montague
Jefferson, MD
robertlmontague@msn.com
1.What would be a good choice in sidecars for this bike?
You're likely to get as many opinions on that as there are makers of sidecars. I really like the new 565Velorex personally. I put on on a fellows GSX1100G and was very impressed. About 3200 dollars new.
2.Is there a sidecar that you can remove and install easily? Removal is easy, getting them back on is a bit trickier. Best to just dedicate that bike to being a hack rig. Get a SECOND bike for when you want to ride two wheels.
3.Will this bike need to have fork work to keep from wobbling?
Fork brace is highly recomended, Steering damper is also recomended, Leading link front end is ultimate, though expensive.
4.I live near Frederick, Md. Is there trustworthy dealer or installer anywhere near? No info from me on that one, I'm in South Dakota.
5.Should one upgrade to disc brakes if available?
Two is always better than one. However, how light or heavy of a sidecar you decide on will play a big part in how much you need that second disc. No one ever complained about stopping TOO well.
Bob,
The new 563 or the 565 will fit well. Both use a Harley sized chrome spoke wheel and tire. If mounted correctly no damper will be needed or desired.
Staying on the affordable side, the Kenna single or Texas Standard are also a good fit but will probably require a steering damper to control nose wiggle since they are wider when mounted.
With either of these and most others a sidecar brake isn't required.
I'm not an affecionado of sidecar brakes if they aren't absolutely necessary to stop the outfit.
Adding the second front disc to the Low Riders gives a lot of braking power that is much more controllable.
If you are considering on and off with the car, do not alter the front end geometry. Use a fork brace though. Raked triple trees and LL front ends are only used safely when the sidecar is mounted, unless they are adjustable for sidecar AND solo use (and are correctly adjusted for each application).
Most sidecars are fairly easily detached in several minutes and can be re-attached without further alignment being necessary. However, as soon as it is off the bike you are dealing with a "one legged cow" when it comes time to remount. A sidecar dolly will help in remounting but it is still somewhat time consuming and most will not do it more than once or twice then either leave the car on or leave it off.
If possible, two machines are desireable. One solo and one sidehack rig.
Whomever you choose for a dealer, don't let price alone control your choice. Make sure that they are also an experienced installer of the product you choose and they offer after sale technical support for you and your installer. That way if a mounting problem should arise they will be able to guide you through it.
A word of caution: eBay discount dealers probably won't be of much help after the sale. Most all are brokers, not sidecar riggers.
Good luck with your project.
Lonnie
Northwest Sidecar
nwsidecar@aol.com
